Climate of Harbin

Under the Köppen climate classification, the climate of Harbin is characterized by distinct four seasons, with long and cold winter, short and hot summer. With the temperature going up and down quickly, spring and autumn belong to transition seasons, with a short period. Under the influence of geography, marine and continental air mass and monsoon, the climate differences of Harbin in different seasons are conspicuous, with significant changes. In winter, under the control of continental polar air, it is cold and bitterly dry, with a 24-hour average in January of only −18.4 °C. Yet the city sees little precipitation during the winter and is often sunny; in summer, under the influence of subtropical marine air, it has rich rainfall and warm temperature; in spring, under the influence of winter and summer monsoon, the climate is mutable, windy and dry, with small rainfall; in autumn, the temperature goes down significantly, often with frost damage.

The yearly average maximum temperature in Harbin is 5.9℃, while the average minimum temperature is 0.7℃. The daily extreme high temperature is 37.8℃ in summer, while the daily extreme low temperature is -42.6℃ in winter. The coldest month of Harbin is January, its mean temperature ranges from – 13.2℃ to -24.8℃. The annual extreme high rainfall is 1081.3mm, while the annual extreme low rainfall is 247 mm.